Diary of Charles Francis Adams, volume 3

Thursday. 11th.

Saturday. 13th.

Friday. 12th. CFA

1830-03-12

Friday. 12th. CFA
Friday. 12th.

Morning bright though rather cool. I went to the Office as usual and was as usual very much disturbed in the disposal of my time, and interrupted more than usual. My first was an application for the refusal of the House in Tremont Street, No. 2, which I accordingly 185gave until tomorrow. The Store being let and this House, I shall feel less the weight of the remainder, but it is too much to have the whole property upon my hands at once. Since my coming into the Agency I have changed every Tenant but three and the Offices. And very necessary it was, for the old ones had become very poor and very irregular. I hope now that things will go on better. I have still however much to do, and many places to let. May luck befriend me.

Mr. Eddy called to notify me of a Meeting of the Directors of the Middlesex Canal, this afternoon, and I had some conversation with him. I think under his direction for a few years more things will be apt to improve, provided we may ward off the rail road. He has much more energy and capacity than have ever before been displayed upon this Canal. Mr. Welsh offered me an administratorship upon an Estate in town, the only objection to which was in the bonds. I felt doubtful about it and took time to consider. This was nearly all I did. I saw Mr. Brooks for an instant and then read over for study Washington’s Farewell Address several times.1 In the afternoon, I bottled a considerable portion of my Sherry which should have been done long ago, and attended the Meeting of Directors of the Canal. The business was quickly done. I spent part of the time in looking over the records of the Corporation, and could not help smiling at the account of it’s early proceedings. How changed we are as a people. Returned home, and in the evening read to my Wife Beppo and Parisina by Lord Byron, beautiful poems.2 After which finished Walker’s Grammar.

1.

Williston’s Eloquence, 5:110–128.

2.

CFA had been in his college years an enthusiastic reader of Byron; see numerous references in vol. 1. GWA owned an edition of Byron’s Works published in Paris, 2 vols. in one, 1826, now in MQA. Also there, is the New York edition in 8 vols., 1825, owned by JQA.